COD FMB documentation desperately needed

[salmo]

As an experienced Il2-1946 mission builder, I'm extremely disappointed with the lack of documentation for the FMB & for COD mission builders. COD FMB contains a vast array of new switches/features but no information on how to use/impliment them. Some features (although present/visible in FMB dialogs) are not activated, adding to confusion over whether features do not work in FMB because of a game bug, or becuase it's not yet activated.

There seems to be little impotus by the game developers to improve documentation, so I wonder whether there is interest in the game community to starting an on-line FMB manual say via wikipaedia?

[Gamekeeper]

Our website has a knowledge base with some information on the FMB. But we are all limited by the lack of support from the developers. Whenever I see interesting material it is added to the kbase and I continue to promote it on the forums, we already have some contributions from members of the community.

Airwarfare FMB Knowledge Base (http://airwarfare.com/sow/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=16&Itemid=129)

Any help building this resource will be appreciated, there is also a Wiki section on our site which could be used to build an online manual, this would require a dedicated editor to be developed further.

[salmo]

The airwarefare.com knowledge base is all well & good, but there is virtually no information on the FMB there at this point in time. Also, a KB is not a FMB manual, it is megrely an ad-hoc collection of information snippits to be trawled through like everywhere else on this subject.

I'm talking about an actualy user-created FMB manual that covers all the aspects of thre FMB. I agree that there has been virtually no information about the FMB coming from the devs. Just for example, COD users have posted here some information on the car.cpp script, but no-one has any information about the other *.cpp scrips. There is no information available on the 'use script C' tickbox in the objects properties tab.

Let's start compiling a comprehesive FMB manual. I don't much care where it is located, provided it covers all of the various FMB tabs, tick-boxes & setups etc. :)

[FG28_Kodiak]

The problem with the *.cpp is that there is no difference between the most. I ve testet some variations but don't see any difference. So i think this feature is not fully implemented in the game at the moment.

[Ataros]

There will not be a manual till FMB features are finalized 95% at least (2012-2013?) A lot of things is changing with every patch.

I opened FMB in April for the first time not having prior FMB experience. Most of it is self explanatory (80%) if you start studying others' missions which came with the game (e.g. campaigns) and other posted here. The rest 20% was discussed in this forums section in length back in April and May. Please use forums search function and check out my replies to similar threads in the past.

If you can not find something using search (what I doubt) please start a separate thread with each particular question.

[Ataros]

The problem with the *.cpp is that there is no difference between the most. I ve testet some variations but don't see any difference. So i think this feature is not fully implemented in the game at the moment.

Naryv mentioned that some .cpp scripts are rudimentary (like airport.cpp iirc). It is better to program all these functionality in mission scripts if it is not available in game already. The only one that works is car.cpp one or maybe another one which is used with projectors (if any).

[Gamekeeper]

The airwarefare.com knowledge base is all well & good, but there is virtually no information on the FMB there at this point in time.

People who are knowledgeable about the FMB need to contribute articles for it to grow. If you build it they will come :)

Are you interested in the FMB in general or basic mission building too?

Also, a KB is not a FMB manual, it is megrely an ad-hoc collection of information snippits to be trawled through like everywhere else on this subject.

A KB is more easily trawled than a forum.

Forum:
Unstructured, chaotic
Items of interest not easily accessable
Search is fine, depending on users ability to phrase search term correctly and know what they are actually looking for!
Cannot always depend on accuracy of information in posts. Many posts made without proof, testing or review and over time become outdated or irrelevant.
Can you rely on the forum host to backup regularly?
Will the forum host provide support for 2 - 5 - 10 years without pruning or deleting posts?

AW Knowledge base:
Highly structured.
Articles sorted into specific topics & categories and well presented
Search has the usual limitations but is more effective as articles already more organised.
Easily edited.
Easily updated.
Relevant, reviewed content
Backed up daily
11 year track record of reliability.

The security comparisons may seem a bit chicken little but websites and forums have been lost before due to webmasters moving on or failing to backup databases, it happened recently with IL-2 DCG forums and early in IL-2 history with Sturmovik technica online FMB manual, IL-2 skins etc.

Forums are great for discussion and bouncing around ideas but the end result should be a KB if you want to have anything structured and user friendly for a newbie to a pro.


Let's start compiling a comprehesive FMB manual. I don't much care where it is located, provided it covers all of the various FMB tabs, tick-boxes & setups etc. :)

As I mentioned we have a wiki ready and waiting for this purpose but it will need a team to run it effectively. I have been asking for support here for some time now but have seen little interest in developing something worthwhile. All the tools are there; powerful text editors, text, html, video anything you need. It only needs a few willing to cut the umbilical cord and wean themselves away from the forum and something great could be built.

If anybody is interested in writing for airwarfare.com let me know and I will update your membership to allow you to create, edit and post articles to the KB. A wiki would require a team, again please contact me if interested.